A bead lock device includes a plurality of bows and a frame for connecting the bows together to form an annular structure. The structure is placed in the interior of a tire which is placed onto a wheel. Wheel flanges compress the bows which, in turn, effectively lock the tire beads against the wheel flanges. A method of making a bead lock device by attaching bows onto a pair of flexible rods and joining the rods at their ends to form hoops is also disclosed.